Our Vocabulary: The Homework Wrap-up

Mekyia mo oo!

On Tuesday, we shared our important vocabulary words from the homework, and then learned phrases that would help us to use them. These words and phrases are important for most people to know, so this was a really helpful class activity.

Kojo only was able to offer 1 word. This was a relief because we took up a lot of class time going over our words. He's a native speaker, so he doesn't need to know a bunch of new phrases! Hi word was "tete" [tété] which means "ancient times" or "ancestors," depending on the context. He offered us a little proverb using this word: "Tete w⊃ bĩ kyerε." = The ancestors have a great amount of knowledge to teach us.

Akua Mary (there are two of us Akuas) put together an interesting set of words. They all had to do with health and all but one had similar syllables or roots.
yaresafo⊃ = doctor, but also means anyone that has experience healing people. This could be a licenced doctor, experienced pharmacist, or natural healer.
sã yare [sa(n) yaray] = to heal
yare [yaray] = to be sick
yafunu / yam [yafoonoo / yam] = stomach
nwansĩ [nweensi(n)] = sneeze
nεs / nεεse [nes / ne...sE] = nurse
d⊃keta / datere [dawketah / dawtereh] = doctor
(Note- Obviously, a couple words are borrowed from English. They are still spelled and pronounced this way, though.)
Ma nwinsi = I have sneezed.
Me pεse me nwinsi. [Mi pesay mi nweensee] = I want to sneeze.
K⊃so [Kawso] = Go ahead.
⊃yare [Oyare] = He/she is sick.
Akua yare. [Aquia yaray] = Akua is sick.

Next, we have Adua's words. Hers have more to do with her conversations with friends and family in Ghana.
kyi [chi] = hate or dislike a lot
Example phrase: Mi kyi saa subãn no. [Mi chi saa... subannNO] = I hate that behavior/action.
seré [serAY] = to laugh
séreε [sAYriay] = laughter
Adεn nti na wore sere me? [Aden eNti naa woray serAY mi] = Why are you laughing at me (give me the reason)?
Me eni ennye ho. [Meeninye ho] = It doesn't interest me. / It's doesn't catch my eye.
asa = to dance
Wo nim asa? [WO neem asa] = Do you know how to dance?

Amma wants to know Asante-Twi so she can evangelize in Ghana. Thus, her words involve conversations she'd have about religion.
kãn / kenkan [khan / kenKhan] = to read
yε kεse [ye kesay] = to increase
Wobε nyin w⊃ woadesua mu. [WObe ñeen waw woadehswiya MU] = I hope your knowledge grows.
akoma [akhOma] = heart
⊃w⊃ akoma pa (paa). [Owaw akhOma pa (paa...)] = The person has a (very) good heart.
⊃w⊃ akoma. = The person has a bad temper / gets mad easily. (So don't forget the "pa"!)
gye di = believe / faith
Me gye di. [Mi jay-DI] = I believe it.
Me gye nea woreka no di. [Mi jay-neeya woreKa no-DI] = I believe in what you're saying.
sũã [swia(n)] = learn
Worε sũã = You go study.
dendeenden / dendeenen [dende...nden] = extremely serious / difficult.
εyε den. [e-ye den] = It's hard.
εyε den paa. = It's extremely hard.
Ns⊃hwε [Nsaw-(s)wheh] = exam / test
Ns⊃hwε no yε den paa. = The exam was very hard.
⊃pε adesua paa. [Awpeh adeswia paa...] = I desire learning / reading.

We never got to my words (we are too behind in the class) but he helped me with them during the break. Again, my words are:
noa [no-a] = to cook
aduane [A-do-anE] = food
den [den] = difficult
buuku [boo...koo] = book
abak⊃sεm [ahbah-kaw-sem] = history
nnwom [Nnwoe-m] = music (This one is really hard for me to say.)
Me k⊃ t⊃ aduane. = I'm going to buy food.
Aduane ni? = You have a lot of food- are you going to share with me (this last part is implied when asked as a question).
Kyerε me abak⊃sεm. [Chair-e mi ahbah-kaw-sem] = Teach me history. (Usually you add a city's name or theme before "abak⊃sεm".)
Me sua nnwom. [Mi swia Nnwoe-m] = I study music/songs. (I shouldn't say this version.)
Me sua nnwom ho nimdeε w⊃ Osuap⊃n. [Mi swia Nnwoe-m ho(n) neemdi-e waw Oswiapawn] = I study music knowledge at the University.
nimdeε = knowledge

So, this is what we did for half of Tuesday's class and most of Wednesday's. I'll add another post for the rest of what we learned on Wednesday (today) because this is way too long again! See how much we're learning? I wish I could memorize all of it, but εyε den!

Favorite phrase(s) of the day: "Agoo!" [AgO...!] which is meant to get a group's attention. People respond with "Amee!" [Ami...!] to show they're ready to pay attention. We had to go through this twice in class... we're having too much fun.